Category Archives: Notes on Collecting Art

Happy Birthday, Paul Klee, born 139 years ago today. Chuck Jones was inspired by the artwork of Paul Klee and created “Portrait du Cochon” (Portrait of a Pig) as an homage in 1989. Klee’s original, “Senecio” from 1922 is below Jones’s.

Klee was and is revered by artists and one of his most often quoted statements is: “A line is a dot that went for a walk.”

The Chuck Jones Gallery is pleased to announce the publication of “The Animated Art of Chuck Jones”. This coffee-table book, measuring 11.5″ square with 116 full color pages, is volume one in a series of books (future volumes are in the works) that chronicle the creative genius of Chuck Jones. A catalog raisonne of the first ever hand-painted cel art editions from the legendary artist, it includes a foreword by noted animation historian, Jerry Beck, as well as “In Linda’s Own Words”, a brief history of the eponymous Linda Jones Enterprises by Linda Jones Clough, Chuck Jones’s only child.

LInda Jones Clough holds a copy of “The Animated Art of Chuck Jones”

The book includes the original press release from Neiman Marcus for the 1977 cover art of their Christmas catalog, created by Chuck Jones. Inside the catalog was the second-ever hand-painted Chuck Jones cel art edition, produced in an edition of 25, which immediately sold out. Order today by clicking any of the above images or by calling me at %%assigned_user.phone%%. There are a very limited number of copies available from this first small print run. Don’t miss out! Click here to order.

NOTICE! The first print run has sold out! Back orders are available, delivery expected by mid-January 2019.

Selections from the inside of “The Animated Art of Chuck Jones”, now available for back order. Delivery expected by mid-January 2019. Click any photo to order.

The Chuck Jones Gallery announced today that they will open a holiday Pop Up gallery in San Francisco’s famed Cartoon Art Museum on Friday, November 23 through Monday, December 31, 2018. Located at 781 Beach Street, just a few steps from the renowned Ghirardelli Square and directly across from San Francisco Bay, the Cartoon Art Museum houses one of the countries finest collections of all things cartoon. Hours will be 11 to 5 PM, closed Wednesdays. Michael Fiacco, director of special exhibitions for the Chuck Jones Gallery, will be on site during December. A grand opening is in the works for Saturday, December 1st.

“We’re thrilled to be opening a Chuck Jones Gallery Pop-up at the Cartoon Art Museum this fall and winter in San Francisco. With its unique position in the community as a destination to view and study the best in the fine art of cartoons, animation, and the associated arts, it was a natural selection for us,” said Scott Dicken, VP of Retail, the Chuck Jones Companies, “During our six weeks at the Cartoon Art Museum, our core collection will be on exhibit, but we also plan to feature original artwork from Disney Studios, plus original art from the Chuck Jones classic television special, “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

Chuck Jones Gallery Pop Up at Anaheim GardenWalk, July and August 2018.

The Chuck Jones Gallery, with locations in Costa Mesa & San Diego, California, as well as Santa Fe, New Mexico is the destination for art collectors and visitors from around the world. Owned by Linda Jones Enterprises, the publisher and distributor of the art of the legendary animation creator and director, Chuck Jones, it is devoted to the art of American Pop Culture.

Founded in 1991 by four-time Academy Award-recipient and animation legend, Chuck Jones, and his daughter, Linda Jones Clough, in Corona del Mar, CA, the Chuck Jones Gallery quickly became the center for the work of not only Chuck Jones, but also all the major animation studios. Linda Jones Clough is credited with helping develop the market for animation art. In 1992 she created the “1 of 1” pairing an original production drawing with a hand-painted cel art edition of one.

Included in the on-going displays at the galleries are art from all major animation studios as well as original paintings and limited edition fine art from a variety of internationally known artists such as Tom Everhart, Fabio Napoleoni, Marcus Pierson, and Fran Lew. All the leading studios, including Disney, Peanuts, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and the art of Star Wars are regularly featured. For more information contact a Chuck Jones Gallery near you or visit ChuckJones.com.

The Chuck Jones Gallery is pleased to announce that we are now representing the original and limited edition work of California Contemporary Surrealist and Colorist, master artist, Michael Summers. This young artist’s star is on the rise with representation around the globe. We are delighted to bring his work to our collectors.

The paintings of Michael Summers take us into a crisp and colorful world, alive with nostalgia, splendor, and whimsy. Within each vibrant scene are playful reminders that our everyday lives are filled with wonder, beauty, and magic, if only we allow our eyes to see it.

Michael Summers painting plein air at a recent exhibit of his work in southern California.

His public art appears in locales around the country, but his most notable image is located in Carlsbad, California. “Catnap Mural” is a prime example of the artist’s innate sense of color combined with his surrealist roots. Colorful and harmonious, it’s a world you’d like to walk into with its joyful color palette raining down on you.

Michael Summers and studio assistant during the creation of “Catnap Mural” at the Witch Creek Winery, at the corner of Carlsbad Boulevard and Grand Avenue in downtown Carlsbad, California.

“Catnap Mural” a fine art giclee on canvas, signed and numbered by the artist, 40″ x 32″, edition of 150.Call for pricing and availability

He uses his Pop Surrealist style as a tool to reflect his inner vision: creating the impossible and more importantly, making the impossible seem plausible. The artist creates imaginary characters – often alluding to mythical archetypes – in acrylic paint with a keen hyper-attentiveness. His unorthodox use of intense saturation and arbitrary, multi-chromatic hues encourages the viewer to look a little closer, a little longer. Visit ChuckJonesCatalog.comto view the collection.

“Sir Lance-a-Bot”, shown above, is a new fine art giclee, edition of 100, signed and numbered by the artist,measuring 14″ x 11″, that features his iconic Robot figure astride a most fanciful unicorn with a rainbow ofhappiness pouring down around them. Call for pre-publication pricing and availability.

Costa Mesa, CA: The Chuck Jones Gallery, celebrating its 26th year in Orange County announced today that they will open a location inside The OC Mix, Orange County’s destination for inspiration, design, and award-winning restaurants at South Coast Collection (SoCo) Friday, August 4 at 11 AM. Grand opening solo artist exhibition plans are in the works!

The Chuck Jones Gallery, founded by four-time Academy Award recipient, animation director, creator and creative genius Chuck Jones, and his daughter, Linda Jones Clough, in Corona del Mar in 1991, has a long-standing reputation of being “the” gallery for the art of American Pop Culture, not only here in Orange County, but also around the globe.

With two other locations, one in San Diego’s historic Gas Lamp Quarter, and the other in Santa Fe, New Mexico’s iconic Plaza district, the gallery has long been known for its focus on finding the art people love to collect and helping them place it in their homes and offices.

In addition to the art of Chuck Jones, artists represented include such diverse talents as Los Angeles-based brothers Shelby & Sandy; the iconic Dr. Seuss; Tom Everhart, known for his interpretations of the remarkable Peanuts characters created by Charles Schulz; Orange County’s master of contemporary Art Deco, Mike Kungl; master portrait artist, Fran Lew as well as Bob Elias, Daniel Killen, and Dan Bowden. Besides its fine art collections, the gallery carries Looney Tunes-inspired gifts and offers archival framing for your own treasured works of art. Plus, the Chuck Jones Gallery will host small community and corporate events.

“The Chuck Jones Gallery is a family-owned business and everyone, from our art consultants to our back-of-the-house staff share in that closeness,” said Craig Kausen, president of Linda Jones Enterprises, the owner of the gallery, and Chuck Jones’s grandson. “It’s important that everyone who walks through our doors feels like they’ve come home. Our gallery walls are full of good memories, laughter, a few bittersweet moments, and much happiness, just as your home is. The OC Mix is the perfect venue for our newest location.”

The Chuck Jones Gallery is located at 3313 Hyland Avenue, Suite A15, Costa Mesa. 949-274-4834 or CostaMesa@ChuckJones.com. The gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 11 AM to 8 PM and Sundays 11 AM to 7 PM.

Installation of the collection is underway at the Chuck Jones Gallery–Orange County at their new location in the OC Mix, part of the trend-setting South Coast Collection (SoCo).

San Diego: The Chuck Jones Gallery—San Diego, now celebrating its 40th anniversary, announced today their line-up of incredible talent during Comic Con Int’l 2017, July 19-23. In addition to the artist receptions the gallery will commemorate their four decades of bringing the art of American Pop culture to the people who love it with special games, prizes, and raffles on Thursday evening, July 20, from 7 to 10 PM. Be there or be square!

The Chuck Jones Gallery will host receptions for the following artists during Comic Con. All events are free and open to the public. RSVP is suggested for artist appearances at 888-294-9880 or SanDiego@ChuckJones.com. The gallery is located at 232 Fifth Avenue, San Diego 92101, in the heart of the Gas Lamp. The gallery will be open 9 AM to 10 PM throughout the days of Comic Con.

Marvel Comics with Special Guest Artist James C. Mulligan:Wednesday, July 19, from 7 to 10 PM, Mulligan, artist for Marvel, Disney, and Warner Bros will unveil his most recent original work and limited editions featuring all your favorite characters! Over the past several years, this multi-talented artist-singer-actor has created work that has touched the hearts and minds of collectors around the country. His boyish charm and innate talent have endeared him to legions. Join us this evening and fall under his super powers!

“Ironman” watercolor by James C. Mulligan

Thursday, July 21 from 7 to 10 PM:Meet Chuck Jones’s grandson, Craig Kausen, and play along as we celebrate our 40th anniversary bringing the best art of American POP Culture to you! Games! Prizes! Fun for the whole family!

Plus! an exhibition of the latest artwork from Pixar!
“Chuck Jones is alive and well at Pixar every day,” said John Lasseter. Pixar studio has long credited Chuck Jones as an important influence in their work. Join us this evening as we present an exhibition of work from such Pixar artists as Pete Doctor, Bob Pauley, Tia Kratter, Randy Barrett, and Ralph Eggleston, plus others!

“Sullivan and Mike” fine art reproduction on paper by Pete Doctor

Friday, July 21 from 3 to 6 PM: Dynamic master artist, Mike Kungl, is the king of the contemporary Art Deco genre, but he’s recently taken his immense talents and directed them in a new POP art style that he’s calling “Where’s It @ POP! Each work in the series has hidden objects that are associated with the character, hidden so well that you’ll be looking for all of them for some time to come. The “Where’s It @, POP!” editions are limited to five, each one heavily embellished by the artist, creating a unique work just for you! The artist will dedicate artwork purchased for this event.

“Defending Planet X” mixed media edition by Mike Kungl

Friday, July 22 from 7 to 10 PM: American Art Star, Fabio Napoleoni, will be on hand as we premier his new paintings and fine art editions on paper and canvas. Creator of the much-beloved Marcenivo, Fabio continues to delight and inspire with his simple tales of love and redemption. Ours exclusively, “Strangely Loving It”, a fine art reproduction on canvas featuring Marcenivo and the lump-headed orange Looney Tunes monster, Gossamer, will premiere at the reception. The artist will dedicate artwork purchased for this event.

Saturday, July 22 from 7 to 10 PM: A Star Wars tribute! Artists James Coleman, Rodel Gonzalez, and Rob Kaz, official artists of Star Wars art, will be the gallery’s special guests. New paintings and fine art editions depicting scenes and moments from the latest Star Wars episode, “The Last Jedi” will premier. Painter James Coleman was a long-time animation background specialist for Walt Disney Studios. Since leaving “Hollywood”, he has toured the world with his original paintings and prints. Gonzalez, founder and lead singer of the rock band, Side A, found his artistic calling just a few years ago, but his luminous paintings and lush brushwork have made him an emerging artist of note. Rob Kaz, also an emerging artist, whose rich palette and unique sensitivity has earned him legions of fans. All three artists will dedicate artwork purchased for this event.

Fran Lew, a name synonymous with the greatest of American portrait artists such as John Singer Sargent, Robert Henri, and Norman Rockwell, is without contemporary peer. Her unerring eye for detail and her sensitive rendering of the emotional undercurrent of the sitter, whether for a commissioned private portrait as seen below, or for one of her “Stars of Hollywood Boulevard” celebrity portraits, is truly inspiring.

Portrait of a Young Woman, collection of the artist and not for sale.

You see it in her handling of the subtleties of the planes of the cheeks, the curve of the lips, the brilliant life streaming from the eyes of the subject, all are captured by the sure hand and artistic genius of Lew.

What makes an artist shine like this? Fran Lew exhibits an innate understanding of how to capture the essence of her subject with the finesse and subtlety deserving of the most important people in our lives.

Fran Lew’s work is represented by the Chuck Jones Galleries. She is now taking portrait commissions, both personal and from her “Stars of Hollywood Boulevard” series, please contact your Chuck Jones Gallery art consultant for details and availability.

Do you suffer from “Tunnel Vision”? Let our art consultants give you a little “Friendly Advice” about the original paintings and drawings by the inimitable and thoroughly unique Daniel Killen that are currently on view and for sale in the Chuck Jones Galleries.

“Tunnel Vision” acrylic on canvas, 18″ x 24″, by Daniel Killen

Daniel, with his background in animation (“Iron Giant”, “Space Jam”), brings his gimlet eye to the Looney Tunes characters made famous by Chuck Jones. With his droll sense of humor on full display in these exquisite works of art, whether in acrylics on canvas or Prismacolor pencils on toned paper, each one comes complete with gag and punchline. You’re guaranteed to laugh every day when you look at his work in your home.

His expertise with a brush will leave you wondering how he even applied the paint, the canvas surface is as smooth as a glacier. And his drawings are as perfect as you’d imagine from this master comedic artist.

In the artist’s studio.

For more information and to view the entire Daniel Killen oeuvre, contact gallery director, Michael Fiacco, in our San Diego gallery, 619-294-9880 or write SanDiego@ChuckJones.com.

Now on exhibit and for sale at the gallery, master colorist Bob Elias’s “Weight for It!” With his trademark color-blocked landscapes and interiors in which he sets the action, artist Bob Elias always delivers striking and whimsical scenarios using the characters made famous by Chuck Jones. In this instance, Wile E. Coyote finds himself between an anvil and a Road Runner at the moment of realization that the law of gravity will once again win out.

“Weight for It!” acrylic on canvas by Bob Elias, 24″ square.

Have you met Bob? If not, you’re missing out–this is a man who’s done it all, from sign-painting in San Francisco to leading wildlife expeditions in Montana and everything in between. His wealth of life experiences plays out in his beautifully rendered canvases and his unique take on life shines through in the way he uses color to balance and to enhance the action of the painting. For more information about this painting and other works of art by Bob Elias, please contact Chuck Jones Gallery art consultant, Carol Erickson at 949-274-4834.

Bob Elias painting at the Chuck Jones Gallery in Orange County at the hip new shopping experience, South Coast Collection (SoCo) in Costa Mesa.

P.S. Bob’s an accomplished singer and if you ask nicely, he’ll dig out his basso profundo and sing “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” for you.

Master American portrait artist, Fran Lew, has just completed a stunning, evocative portrait of two of old Hollywood’s most enduring stars, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Utilizing her flawless technical skills, Lew has captured the living, breathing embodiment of the spark and beauty of this dynamic husband-and-wife comedy team.

Using her special charcoal pencils and white pastel and working on tinted wove paper, Lew has brought her considerable talents to bear on this unique work of nostalgia. What secret is Lucy cautioning us to keep with her finger poised at her lips? The look of “uh-oh” on Desi’s face may give a clue to the ensuing comedic moment and with so many to choose from, it’s just a matter of memory to bring your laughter to life.

“For decades, millions of “I Love Lucy” fans have fallen in love with the zany, hilarious comedy of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. “I Love Lucy” is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential sitcoms in history. In 2012, it was voted the ‘Best TV Show of All Time’ in a survey conducted by ABC News and People Magazine.

“I take pleasure in capturing and sharing the memories of people who we have all come to love and admire. To celebrate the upcoming 65th anniversary of “I Love Lucy”, I created a commemorative portrait of Lucy and Desi as an everlasting tribute to their glamour, comic genius, and contribution to American pop culture.”

For more information or to purchase this work, please contact your Chuck Jones Gallery art consultant or online at www.ChuckJones.com.